The City of Melbourne[1] represents the city's regularly grid-planned Central Business District and historical core, located on the north bank of the Yarra River. South of the river is the Southbank cafe and shopping precinct.

Understand

Officially established in 1837, the city of Melbourne was quickly (by 1838) laid out in the regular grid pattern that marks the CBD out on today's maps.

Get in

See

Central Melbourne (the Central Business District (CBD) and nearby) attractions are arranged here on a route starting in the south-west, proceeding east along Collins St, covering Swanston St from the Yarra River to Victoria St in the north, then going through Chinatown to Spring St and finishing at the south-east corner of the CBD.

The Docklands precinct is the lynchpin of Melbourne's urban planning vision for the next fifty years. The old shipping yards and industrial neigbourhood just west of the CBD, is being developed into a lively residential, commercial and entertainment district that hopes to refocus Melbourne's attention to the waterfront.

Southern Star. A wheel giving a 30 minute "flight" over the area. The bubbles are stable, and air-conditioned, and offer a view across Melbourne. The Southern Star was closed due to heat stress caused by Melbourne's 2008-2009 heatwave. The Star is currently being taken down so that a replacement can be built.$26.

Black Light Mini Golf and Coffin Ride is located in the Harbour Town shopping Centre at the Docklands, Australia's First indoor 18 hole minigolf under blacklight and possible the only Coffin ride in the Southern Hemisphere.[2]

Melbourne Aquarium, cnr King St and Queens Wharf Rd (on the banks of the Yarra River). Every day 9:30AM-6PM (last admission 5PM), 1-27 Jan 9:30AM-9PM. $22 adult, $12 child. Home to over 10,000 aquatic creatures, the Melbourne aquarium is the newest and largest aquarium in Australia.

Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St (between William St and Market St). Every day 10AM-5PM except Good Friday and Christmas Day. Located in the restored Old Customs House, it covers customs history as well as immigration. It is interesting to learn of the racist attitudes that influenced past immigration policy only to realise that the Australian government still has a very contentious policy towards refugees and asylum seekers. $6 adult, children and concession free.

Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St (corner of King St). Su-Th 10AM-10PM, F-Sa 10AM-11PM. This is the tallest reinforced concrete structure and the tallest office structure in the Southern Hemisphere. The Melbourne Observation Deck on the 55th floor gives an excellent 360-degree view of the city. $11.80 adult, $6.80 child.

Flinders Street Station, cnr Flinders St and Swanston St / St Kilda Rd, beside Princes Bridge. This Melbourne icon is one of the city's major train stations and was designed in an 1899 competition. The station's front steps, below a row of clocks announcing train departure times, are also a popular meeting point for locals. A government plan to replace the ageing, and usually inaccurate, clocks with digital contemporaries was shelved after howls of protest from residents who had grown up meeting friends "under the Flinders St clocks".

City Square, Swanston St between Flinders Lane and Collins St. Car free zone which makes for a great pedestrian mall.

Melbourne Town Hall, cnr Swanston St and Collins St. Free tours M-F 11AM and 1PM, first Sa of the month 11AM, noon, 1PM and 2PM. You need to book tours one day ahead on phone 9658 9658. Built in 1870.

Manchester Unity building, cnr Swanston St and Collins St. This 1930s Gothic building was once Melbourne’s tallest building.

Bourke St Mall, between Swanston St and Elizabeth St. Melbourne’s main department stores are located here and street performers and buskers perform in the mall.

Royal Arcade, south side of the mall. Built in 1870, it is a historic shopping arcade that runs between Little Collins Street and the Bourke Street Mall, with entrances also off Elizabeth Street. The mall has some classic features but unfortunately has not been lovingly restored and modernised like the Block.

State Library of Victoria, Swanston St between Little Lonsdale and Latrobe St. M-Th 10AM-9PM, F-Su 10AM-6PM, except public holidays. Built in stages starting in 1854, it has an impressive classical revival façade. Renovation of the La Trobe Reading Room was completed in 2003. Includes a good newspaper reading room, genealogy room and an art collection. Internet terminals are provided for research only, not email, and usually need to be booked because of high demand. Coin-operated lockers are available just off the lobby, with staff in attendance – large bags are not permitted in the library proper.

Melbourne City Baths, cnr Swanston St and Franklin St. The Edwardian (1903) building still function as a health and fitness center with a gym and other facilities complementing the swimming pools. Casual rate for a swim is $4 adult, $3.20 student, $2 pensioner. [3]

Old Melbourne Gaol, Russell St between Victoria St and La Trobe St. Every day 9:30AM-4:30PM except Good Friday and Christmas Day. Night tour performances W, Su evenings (suggested age 12 years plus). Built in 1841, it is now a penal museum. Bushranger Ned Kelly was hanged here in 1880. The scaffold on which he and many others were hanged is displayed, as is Kelly’s armor. There are other displays in many of the cells. Allow an hour or so for your visit. Day $12.50 adult, $7.50 child; night performances $18.70 adult, $11 under 16 years. [4]

Chinatown, Little Bourke St between Swanston St and Spring St. Melbourne's Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western world. It dates back to the gold rush days of the 1850s and is one of the most popular and distinctive areas of Melbourne.

"Little Greece", Lonsdale St adjacent to Chinatown. It is often said Melbourne has the third-highest Greek population in the world. This stretch of Lonsdale St boasts many lively Greek cafes, nightclubs and shops.

Parliament House of Victoria, Spring St opposite Bourke St. Free half-hour tours M-F when parliament is not sitting, 10AM, 11AM, noon, 2PM, 3PM, 3:45PM. Built between 1856 and 1879, the federal parliament sat in this impressive building from 1901 to 1927. [7]

Windsor Hotel, Spring St between Bourke St and Little Collins St. Opened in 1883 as The Grand, it is indeed the city’s grandest historic hotel.

Hotel Sofitel, 25 Collins St (the eastern, “Paris” end of Collins St). The floor-to-ceiling windows of Le Restaurant on the 35th floor offer excellent views of the city.

Old Treasury Building and Gold Treasury Museum, cnr Spring St and Macarthur St. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa-Su 10AM-4PM, closed Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Built in 1858, it was the city’s first Italian Renaissance building and many consider that its elegance has not been surpassed by anything in Melbourne since. Contains displays on the history of Melbourne as well as history of gold in Victoria. The volunteer attendants are very helpful albeit in a fussy way. $8.50 adult, $5 child. [8]

Treasury Gardens, behind the Treasury Building. Features a memorial to John F Kennedy.

Fitzroy Gardens, on the other side of Lansdowne St from the Treasury Gardens. Features Captain Cook’s Cottage which is the cottage that belonged to Captain James Cook’s parents and was transported from Yorkshire to Melbourne in 1934. [9]

St Patrick’s Cathedral, cnr Gisborne St and Cathedral Place (between Macarthur St and the north end of Fitzroy Gardens). The original part of this Gothic Revival cathedral was built in the 1850s. It was consecrated in 1897 and the spires added in 1939. [10]

Polly Woodside Maritime Museum, Closed for renovations May 2006 - late 2008 Lorimer St East near the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Every day 10AM-4PM except Good Friday and Christmas Day. The museum features the restored 1885 sailing ship "Polly Woodside". $10 adult, $7 child.

Melbourne Exhibition Centre, 2 Clarendon St. Australia's premier convention centre, it is home to an ongoing array of exhibitions and conventions.

Crown Entertainment Complex including the Crown Casino, 8 Whiteham St. Open 24 hours except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day when it is closed 4AM-noon. A Las Vegas-style gambling palace, also containing restaurants, upmarket boutiques, nightclubs, two hotel towers, a cinema complex, and floorshows. [12]

Southgate Plaza. Can be reached from the CBD by an arched footbridge from behind the Flinders Street Station. Three levels of restaurants, cafes and bars overlooking the river.

Yarra River

Melbourne River Cruises leave from Princes Walk, just east of Princes Bridge (Swanston St), and from Southbank Lower Promenade. The timetable is subject to tidal conditions and river closures. $16.50 adult, $8.80 child. [13]

A popular walk is from the corner of Batman Ave and St Kilda Rd (near the Princes Bridge and Federation Square) eastward along the riverbank then crossing the Morell footbridge and returning to Princes Bridge either along the riverbank or through the Botanic Gardens and Alexandra Gardens.

Arts precinct

The arts precinct on St Kilda Rd immediately south of Princes Bridge and adjoining Southgate contains:

National Gallery of Victoria. The original gallery, it now houses the gallery’s international collection. The Australian collection is at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square.

Victorian College Of The Arts (VCA).

On Sturt Street west of St Kilda Road is:

ACCA - Australian Centre of Contemporary Art.

Malthouse Theatre.

Gardens and parks

Between the east side of St Kilda Rd and the Yarra River is a series of gardens and parks.

Alexandra Gardens.

Queen Victoria Gardens. Features memorials to Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, sculptures and a floral clock of 7000 plants.

Kings Domain. Contains:

Shrine of Remembrance war memorial.

Governor La Trobe’s Cottage. Every Sun 2PM-4PM Oct to May; last Sun June to Sept. Charles La Trobe brought this prefabricated house when he came to Australia in 1839.

Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Built in 1959, it is used for concerts and in winter as an ice-skating rink.

Government House. A landmark, open to the public on Australia Day, 26 January. Booked guided tours Mon & Wed via the National Trust.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Birdwood Ave, 15 min walk from CBD. Every day Nov-Mar 7:30AM-8:30PM, Apr-Oct 7:30AM-5:30PM. recognised as one of the world’s finest botanic gardens, with over 10,000 species and 50,000 individual plants in the 38 hectare gardens.

Federation Square

Federation Square, cnr Flinders St and Swanston St / St Kilda Rd, opposite Flinders Street Station. Recently built over the rail yards, it includes an open space, an atrium with restaurants and cafes, an amphitheater and somewhat controversial asymmetrical architecture. [15] It includes the following centers:

Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, cnr Flinders St and Russell St extension. Open daily 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-9PM, closed Monday, ANZAC Day opens 1PM, closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. Houses the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection of Australian art. Free. Note- The NGV’s international art collection is housed in the original NGV building south of the Yarra. [16]

Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). Screen gallery is open daily 10AM-6PM. A museum of television, film and digital media. Entry is free for much of the Centre, although charges apply for cinema screenings and certain programs and exhibitions. [17]

Buy

Melbourne’s vibrant retail scene thrives with alluring labels, products and shopping experiences. It's an eclectic mix of high end fashion, funky boutiques and mainstream stores, all of which have a home in the city’s laneways, retail centres and tree-lined streets.

Eat

Cafe

Journal Cafe, Melbourne city

Between Degraves St and Centreplace (which link Flinders St to Collins St, between Swanston St and Elizabeth St), you will find several breakfast restaurants. Most open from 7AM and serve all kinds of breakfasts. Competition is strong and keeps quality up so the range of choice is impressive.

Aix, Centreplace. Has a huge selection of mouthwateringly good crepes.

Chinese

Melbourne's Chinatown district centred on Little Bourke St is filled with cheap Chinese options and some well-hidden (but excellent) Japanese alternatives. Search Tattersall's Lane for deliciously cheap dumplings. The CBD is also suffused with postmodern Oriental restaurants catering to the large Asian student market.

Camy Shanghai Dumplings, 25 Tattersalls Lane, tel 9663 8555. This unprententious eatery is a local delight serving cheap and generous servings of wonderful Chinese food, especially dumplings. Great for those on a budget, with most meals priced around the $7 mark and served with complimentary Chinese tea.

White Lotus, Victoria St (near Victoria Market). Offering good vegetarian Chinese for those on a no meat diet.

Gigi, 237 Swanston St, 9639 2233. This is the place for Japanese served fast and friendly.

Indian

Vegetarian

Crossways, 123 Swanston St. Tasty lunch cafe where you'll find a delicious 2 course vegetarian all-you-can-eat meal for $6 (or $5 if you have a concession card). Takes volunteers for the very broke amongst us: half an hour in the kitchen for a free meal. Open Monday to Saturday 11:30AM-2:30PM.

Others

Drink

Coffee

The CBD holds some hidden gems as far as coffee is concerned. Once again, Degraves Lane is the most popular destination while those seeking a little bit more style can head to the many malls for their fix.

Bars

The Carlton Club, 193 Bourke St Melbourne. Great late night joint on middle of the day, very functional with heaps of little spaces to get cosy and open areas to get your Sunday on. The rooftop bar in up there with the best in town. A must for people coming to Melbourne.

A little more upmarket is Tony Starr's Kitten Club (267 Little Collins Street, tel 9650-2448 [20]) which offers a leopard-print throwback to the smooth cats and cool jazz of the 50's. The weekday crowd of funk loving twenty-something professionals sip on a range of cocktails blended and shaken by well-trained and attentive staff. The upstairs performance area hosts local and visiting funk, jazz and cabaret acts.

The Croft Institute (21-25 Croft Alley, tel 9671-4399) epitomizes the kitschy-hidden-bar trend of the past few years. Tucked within the narrowest and smelliest alley in Melbourne, this place is somewhat charmingly fitted out like a high school laboratory; complete with beakers, test tubes and retorts. Check out the upstairs 'gymnasium' playing house and electro, and the hospital gurney (with stirrups) on display near the women's toilets.

Arthur's Lounge (Corporation Lane, tel 9654 9744) is a decadent club / bar with prices and door policies to match. A crowd-friendly mix of house and electronica will keep you going, and the fun-loving (but sometimes pretentious) patrons are a pleasant mix of funky bohemia, city glamour and party people.

For a taste of Fitzroy in the CBD, drop into the cheerful Rue Bebelons (267 Little Lonsdale Street, tel 9663-1700) for a reasonably priced coffee or beer. The Nepalese family behind the bar mix up great music and a friendly vibe to a crowd of laid back artists and students from nearby universities.

Misty's (3-5 Hosier Ln, tel 9663 9202) hosts a smiliar crowd, but in slightly cooler retro-sci-fi surrounds. The staff are friendly, live DJs spin groovy tunes most nights and it makes a great launching pad for shows at the nearby Forum.

Cookie (Swanston St between Lonsdale and Bourke opposite the Lounge). Excellent bar and cocktails with an upstyle crowd that likes to party hard. Has a restaurant upstairs for dinner serving excellent thai inspired meals.

Rydges Melbourne, 186 Exhibition Street ph 1300 857 922 - Rydges Melbourne is in the heart of Melbourne's vibrant theatre district and is situated opposite Her Majesty’s Theatre, 1 block from The Comedy Theatre and The Princess Theatre, 2 blocks The Athenaeum Theatre and The Regent Theatre and 3 blocks from The Forum (Old State Theatre).

Boutique Stays, The Manhattan. A chic 1 bedroom apartment right in the heart of the city.

Apartments

* Apartment Alkira [25] - Elegant, New York Style apartment in leafy Queen Street. Apartment Alkira is perfectly located in the heart of the CBD - just near buzzing Flinders Lane. This light, spacious apartment in Melbourne's CBD [26] is available for short term, weekend, relocation or vacation stays. 1 bedroom from $190 AUD per night. More info at [27]

Knightsbridge Apartments, 101 George St, East Melbourne, (03) 9470 9100, [28]. Knightsbridge is conveniently located in a quiet street near Jolimont Station and in walking distance to the centre. The apartments are cosy though a bit on the small side. Prices start at about $425 for a studio.

Grand Hyatt Melbourne, 123 Collins Street, ☎+61 3 9657 1234 (melbourne@hyatt.com.au), [31]. Acknowledged as one of Melbourne's finest hotels, it features Art Deco set against Veronese marble, highlighted by art commissioned from around the world. All 547 rooms receive access to the Regency Health Club which is open daily from 6AM.

Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street, Melbourne, ☎+61 3 9633 6000 (info@thehotelwindsor.com.au, fax: +61 3 9633 6001). Built in 1883, the Hotel Windsor bills itself as Australia’s only remaining grand hotel. It possesses old world charm with modern luxuries and has an enviable location opposite Parliament and at the top end of Collins St.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!